Robert!

 

It's hard to tell Robert's whole story all backwards so I think I will just tell it all at once. 
 So about October of last year 2010 Robert found out that their was an audition for some parts in a New Testament movie that the Church was doing.  He just thought it would be fun to take part in something like that.  So he memorized the part and started growing out a beard to look more the part.  I thought he was crazy.  Everyone at church was so SUPER enthusiastic and very supportive and actually another guy in our ward was also trying out for the part.  I think his family has all thought he was crazy.  He went I think in early January to try out.  He did very well, they asked him to do it over I think 3 times, slower and softer and things like that.  He had no idea what to expect out of it. 
It was sure hard having him grow out a beard and not knowing what to expect.  It wasn't until I think the end of March (I should look back for sure) that he finally got word that they were thinking about giving him a part.  Now what part we still didn't know.  I think it wasn't until another month and a half until we found out that they were giving him the part of Jame son of Zebadee   .That was so awesome.  After finding out that they had gone all over the WORLD to find actors for the parts of the 12 apostles and had thousands of auditions that was way cool!  The shooting for the film was going to begin in June and then in July but I think they started in August through September.  The set is amazing!  I can't wait to see it sometime.  Any pictures they have taken on set or anything we are not supposed to be putting on the internet.  We have some fun pictures and hopefully we can share them sometime.  One of the guys drew this of Robert on set.

This experience has been amazing for both of us.  We have been able to do some awesome things.  My first meeting of all these 12 apostle actors was at the Provo temple.  It was so fun to go in with all the cute wives and these bearded husbands.  The looks we got...well you can only imagine at the Temple. We went to a little  ice-cream shop down the street where a couple asked if we were all Omish.  WHAT?  Funny though.  Great guys though.  It has been fun to see pictures of all of them before beards.  It's crazy how much it can change their look so much!!!





 

We have been able to go to the Temple several times with all of them, and it was a great experience each time!  We also got together for several BBQs with our families and have gotten to know them really well.  One of them actually got married a couple of weeks after the last shooting in October and we were able to attend their wedding at the Salt Lake Temple.
 

 


The coolest thing we got to do was go to a Private Meeting with Elder Holand. We were able to meet together in the room that the 12 meet on a weekly basis.  We had no idea what to expect.  I never expected this though.  He had a sit down and he got out his scriptures and we had a wonderful discussion with him.  He called on me to read a scripture. 

This was what one of the girls wrote about out meeting!

Meeting With Elder Holland was AMAZING!!!

by Shelby Stewart James Arrington on Friday, September 9, 2011 at 11:33am

Meeting with Elder Holland was SO WONDERFUL!!! We met in the Church Admin. building in the conference room that the 12 meet in. We came in and he shook all of our hands before we sat down. It was very intimate and he sat just feet away from us. It was immediately a very comfortable atmosphere. He wanted to have a discussion not just a lecture, so we were able to read and make comments and ask questions. He proceeded to teach us about Apostles, their roles, both modern and ancient. Along with several other topics. He referenced lots of scriptures and touched on a lot of idea's. It would be hard for me to catalog everything. But if I could pick one message that I really came away with it was the idea that, This is it. We're in this forever. You can't walk away from this, from what is. From truth. You can try. You can try. But it's like denying that the sun shines in the sky. When Jesus asks his Apostles, "Will you go also?" And Peter replies, "Where would we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." (paraphrasing here). He is the way, the truth and the life. There is no other way. He was really touched that we wanted to meet with him. And he felt bad that we didn't have more time (we had about an hour) because Pres. Packer had given him an assignment that evening. Because of that, he mentioned several times that we should "do this again". Umm...O.K.! Twist my arm!!! He was so funny too. I was surprised at how candid and witty he was. There was joking and laughing right along with tears and a powerful spirit. It really opened my eyes. I have always kind of assumed and worried a bit that their lives are just so heavy, and so weighed down with everything. And I am sure they are, and so they must be very solemn and serious much of the time. But every Apostle I have met has seemed the opposite of that. They are HAPPY, and there is ALWAYS a light in their eyes. I mean that almost literally. They shine among men. There were several comments he made in which he seemed to want to convey to us that his work was tiring, that the Lord's work was tiring, and that it never ends. That aside from teaching the gospel and witnessing of Christ TO people, like we can all do, as Apostles, they BECOME the witness. Their whole life IS a witness. And there is no walking away. We didn't get pics because he had to book it out of there for his next assignment, but he said that we could have the use of the room for as long as we'd like. So we chit chatted for a while and took some pictures then went to dinner at the Lion House with most of the group. Some had to leave. It was AMAZING. I can't even illustrate how wonderful this experience was and how much I will cherish it forever more.

Amen

The last shooting was the end of September.  We waited a few weeks like they asked before we trimmed the beard.  He couldn't wait.  We got word though that the 12 loved it so much that they are changing their mind about what they want.  Originally they wanted short vinyets on the life of Christ to be used in Seminary and General Conference and Institute and such.  They have approved for much more now and we don't know what they are going to do with it.  Word is that they might actually make it into a full film.  So in April he will start shooting more on the Act of the Apostles. 
For any one that still thinks he is crazy to spend his time doing this...This has been an awesome Spiritual experience not just Him but for our whole family, and that is all he was looking for; He did this for the awesome experience it would be for him.  I am soooo proud of him for taking all the crap about his beard and for the time he has spent working on it.  I am so excited to see the end result.  I am sooo happy for him that he got to take part in this movie just for the Testimony building part of it!  SOOO excited for the next part of the adventure!


Last day of the LONG beard!